The Marauders Read Words From His Past
by OniRoo
Summary: The Marauders read Words From His Past. Sequel, or, given the nature of time, a prequel. Spoilers contained. Some bad language.


** The Marauders Read Words From His Past**

**Harry Potter stared blankly at the floor in front of him, sitting on his trunk at the end of his four-poster bed...**

"Why wouldn't he just sit on the bed, isn't that more comfortable?" Sirius asked.

"I think he's upset, Padfoot..." replied Remus.

Lily gasped.

...**in the fifth year boys' dormitory of Gryffindor Tower...**

"Go, go, Gryffindor! Go, go, Gryffindor!" James and Sirius shouted in unison.

"We're not at the pitch, you know..." Remus commented.

...**at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He hadn't packed yet,**

"Oh, Harry...you should be more responsible..." Lily sighed. She glared at James and continued, "Must be your fault." James gawked at his pregnant wife, to which Sirius commented "It's just the pregnancy mate," before cowering under Lily's ice-stare.

**...all of his things lay strewn around his bed, and the Hogwarts Express was departing in a little less than 8 hours for London.**

"Oooh...Harry, hurry up sweetie!" Lily coaxed.

"Lily, he's not even born yet and you're already nag—"James cut his sentence short, deciding this wasn't a battle he could win. "Sorry..." he muttered.

"Do you want to hear this or not?" Remus asked, clearly annoyed with his friends. They nodded.

**The grief of losing his godfather was so new, so raw.**

"I died?!?! No wander Harry's upset...shit, it must have been for a good reason..." Sirius said.

**He was running out of reasons for Sirius Black to return, and was unwillingly working his way towards the idea that Sirius was, in fact, gone. He didn't want to believe Remus Lupin the night Sirius fell through the Veil at the Department of Mysteries.**

"Hey, that is a pretty cool end...doesn't mean I'm dead though, Harry...keep hopin'!" Sirius said brightly.

**He didn't want to believe Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor House Ghost, when he told Harry that Sirius would choose to move on, and not to leave behind a shadow of his former existence.**

"Who would?" asked James.

"A ghost," replied Sirius, Remus and Lily in unison.

**His only hope was the words of Luna Lovegood...she had heard voices behind that veil too.**

"Hmm...hearing voices isn't a good thing. Maybe Harry should write Professor Dumbledore or Madam Pomfrey..." Lily worried.

"He'll be fine," James stated simply.

**Unfortunately, Luna was known around Hogwarts for believing in anything, especially if it didn't exist. But, she had been right about the Thestrals...**

"They're scary!" Lily exclaimed.

"Are you nuts?" Sirius asked disbelievingly. "They're so cool, right James?"

"Right."

"They give me the creeps. I don't want my baby to be able to see them!" Lily said.

**Harry sank so deeply into his own thoughts**

"He should get a pensieve," Remus commented.

"Dumbledore has one," James began.

"Been there, done that," Sirius finished.

**that he didn't notice Professor Dumbledore**

"Bzzzzzzzzz!"

Lily looked at her husband and Sirius like they had 7 eyes.

**enter the dormitory. Dumbledore looked on as Harry, face buried in his hands, began to accept the loss of his godfather.**

"Don't give up, Harry! I'm sure I'm not dead! That'd be so cruel...two years after my escape from Azkaban..." Sirius was heading down memory lane.

"Padfoot, not that your life story isn't tragic, but this is about HARRY," said a concerned Lily.

**Recalling the recent fight he and Harry had in his office immediately following Sirius's death, Dumbledore knew Harry wouldn't want to talk to him,**

"Harry James Potter, you fought with the Headmaster? You're lucky you're not expelled! You need to get control of yourself! I'm going to write a howler, and Remus, since you seem to still be alive, you can send it to Harry after he fights with the Headmaster, and..." Lily had to catch her breath. Remus looked shocked.

"Lily! Calm down," James pleaded.

**but he had one last task to complete before his students departed for the summer.**

"I doubt that Albus Dumbledore ever has just one task to complete," commented Remus.

**Dumbledore looked down at the box in his hands. The rough wood made his pale and long fingered hands look ghostly. There was a hole where there once was a lock. The box was heavy, but not for its contents, the wood was thick and knotted.**

"Hey, that sounds a lot like my..." Sirius began, but was interrupted by Remus's reading.

**On top of the box was an inscription that read, "For Harry Potter, my godson, should anything happen to me, Sirius Black".**

"My box!" Sirius looked ecstatic.

"Padfoot, calm down...it's just a box," James, for once, tried to calm down Sirius.

**"Harry?" Dumbledore ventured. "I have something here for you, I daresay you may find it difficult to look through right now, but someday you may wish to view its contents."**

"Why on earth would Harry want that box? It's just got quills in it..." Sirius wondered.

"Why were you so excited about it then?" Lily asked.

"Well, because we used to keep the Marau...er, nothing," Sirius changed his answer after receiving warning looks from both James and Remus. Lily's face changed from curious to suspicious, but she inquired no further. Remus continued reading.

**Harry looked up at the Headmaster. Dumbledore noticed the boy's face was tearstained and his eyes bloodshot.**

"Wow, he's really torn up over my supposed death..." Sirius commented.

**He gently placed the box in Harry's outstretched hand and turned to leave.**

**"****Professor?" Harry's voice was choked and unsteady. "Is there no way he can be alive?"**

**Professor Dumbledore sighed, not out of exasperation but out of sadness for Harry. "He is alive, Harry, in the memory of him. Nobody can say what happens to us when we die, but if Sirius remains unforgotten he will be immortal.**

"Yes! Immortality! I beat Moldy Voldie!" Sirius sang. He and James started up a little jig before Lily and Remus could calm them down to continue.

**I do not pretend to understand what you're feeling Harry, but I know it is difficult. I also know you are not alone. There are others who have lost because of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. There are others who cared about Sirius as well. He had many friends throughout his life."**

"I'm touched. I hope he gives my eulogy."

"Nice morbidity there, Padfoot."

"Easy for you to say, Moony, you're the only one left alive!"

"I've never missed someone more...not even my parents, as horrible as that sounds," Harry replied.

"It does sound horrible!" James and Lily chorused.

"That's perfectly understandable, and you need not feel guilty for not missing your parents this much.

James grabbed the story out of Remus's hands. "It really says that..." he muttered. "That's it, I'm writing a letter to Dumbledore!" Lily looked pleased at James's reaction.

"You show him, Prongs," Remus added sarcastically.

**While they are a part of you, you never really got to know them...It's different with Sirius." Harry didn't respond for a while, so Dumbledore got up to leave.**

"**Professor, what's in this box?"**

"The Ma—I mean, quills!" Sirius shouted.

**"I don't know Harry. It's been magically sealed so that only you can open it. I would imagine it's items that meant something to Sirius, and he could think of no better person than his best friend's child and godson to give them to." Dumbledore glanced around the dormitory, at all of Harry's things lying on the floor. With a wave of his hand they disappeared. "They're in your trunk, Harry. I can never concentrate on packing when I'm saddened." With those words Professor Dumbledore departed the dormitory, once again leaving Harry by himself.**

"He should know better than to leave someone alone when they're that sad...where are Harry's friends right now anyway?" Lily worried.

"Maybe Harry wanted to be left alone," James said wisely.

"Maybe his friends are playing Quidditch," Sirius said fondly.

"Do you think of nothing else?" Lily asked him.

"You just don't get Quidditch, Lil," James answered for Sirius.

"Well, it's d—"

"Dangerous. Yes, we know."

"Can I get back to the bloody story?" Remus asked impatiently.

**Harry ran his fingers over the inscription on the box, reading it over and over for the next half hour. As time carried the morning on, Harry settled on his bed with the box in front of him, and then closed the curtains of his bed. He pointed his wand at the box and muttered, "Nox Colloportus", and the lid of the box creaked open to reveal several small books and sheaves of parchment. Harry picked up the four small books and read the words on the front of each one. "Diary of Lily Evans", "Diary of Lily Potter",**

"How did you get that?" Lily asked Sirius angrily.

"**Journal of James Potter",**

"You keep a journal, Prongs?" Remus questioned.

**and "Journal of Sirius Black" were the so-called titles of each book. Harry's heart skipped a beat as he held the four books that would reveal to him the world of his parents and godfather.**

"Well, you see, Harry, it's the same world really," Sirius began in a professor-ly tone, "Just different times."

**The collection of parchment appeared to be letters and newspaper clippings, many having to do with him, and many of the letters were from him...or to him. He noted that there were sealed letters addressed to him from his mother, father and Sirius. Letters from them that he had not yet read...**

"Obviously, since they're sealed...I thought he was supposed to be smart."

"Padfoot, shut up!" James replied.

**underneath the letters was a mirror, wrapped just as his own had been that Sirius had given him.**

"Cool! Our mirrors! Good idea, Padfoot, to give one to Harry. You guys must have talked all the time," James began. Sirius just stared at him in return. "Why don't you say anything...you okay, Padfoot?"

"You told me to shut up."

"Baby," James answered.

**"Harry, aren't you packed yet? The carriages are almost here, hurry up or we'll miss the train!" Ron Weasley, Harry's best friend came bursting into the dormitory. "C'mon, I'll help you bring your stuff down."**

"What a good friend," said Lily.

**Harry hastily closed and sealed the box; he'd save it to look through while he was at Privet Drive. He opened the curtains on his bed. Ron glanced down at the box with a puzzled look. "It's from Sirius." Harry replied, knowing Ron was about to ask. He grasped the box, supporting it under one arm. Ron picked up Hedwig in her cage, and Harry waved his wand at his trunk and said "Locomotor Trunk" and his trunk levitated into the air and followed him and Ron out of the dormitory. Harry glanced around the Gryffindor Common Room, knowing he'd miss it over the next few months. His eyes fell onto the sight of the fire grate, where he had conversed with Sirius's head...He turned away and walked out of the portrait hole before he could dwell on the thought of talking with Sirius.**

"Sounds like you were his boyfriend, mate," Remus joked.

"I was just an awesome godfather, that's all."

"None of this has happened yet!" Remus corrected.

"Meh."

"What the hell does 'meh' mean?"

"Moony, are you going to read or should I take over?" Sirius asked. Remus resumed reading. Sirius muttered something that sounded like, "Thought so."

**As he and Ron descended the steps of the Grand Staircase,**

"So many good memories of the Grand Staircase," Sirius said.

Lily asked Sirius what he was referring to.

"Don't ask, won't tell."

"But I did ask."

"Still won't tell." Sirius grinned.

**Harry had mixed feelings about leaving Hogwarts this year. He didn't want to leave to go to Privet Drive because Hogwarts was his home and he hated living at Number Four with his Aunt, Uncle, and cousin.**

"Somehow, I will make my sister pay for mistreating my son," remarked a very determined, very vengeful Lily.

"Me too," added James.

"Damn straight," Lily said.

Gasp "Lily, you swore!" Sirius looked shocked.

**At the same time, everywhere he looked at Hogwarts reminded him of things that had happened in the Wizarding World, Sirius, and the prophecy.**

"Prophecy?" Sirius asked.

"I think we ought to read the fifth book. Probably wasn't smart to go from the fourth to this story. We missed lots of stuff, I'm sure," Remus explained.

**He still hadn't told Ron or Hermione about the Prophecy...Hermione would cry**

"A bit emotional, don't you think?" James asked.

"We don't know what the prophecy said though, it could be really bad," Remus began, but at the sight of Lily's worried face he finished, "But you're probably right, Prongs..."

**and give him a hug,**

"You don't think..." began James.

"No," Lily answered. "He's much to young for a girlfriend."

"Lily, he's almost sixteen!"

"You didn't have a girlfriend when you were sixteen," Lily replied.

"That's because you refused to go out with me!"

"I had a girlfriend at sixteen..." Sirius interrupted.

"You had a girlfriend at thirteen, mate," Remus said before continuing to read.

**Ron would stare and then go on about how their ex-Divination professor was a fraud, and maybe she was wrong.**

"I wonder who their ex-divination professor was," Sirius said.

"Does it really matter?" Remus questioned.

"No."

"Then why are you interrupting the story again?" Remus asked, agitated.

**He didn't remember walking through the castle,**

"Oh no! He's lost his memory!" Lily exclaimed, worry filling her face.

James looked at her, astonished.

**but soon he and Ron walked out the doors to the Entrance Hall and were blinded by the sun**

"Lily--don't. He's not really blind."

"I know that, James Potter."

**as they climbed into a carriage with Hermione and Neville Longbottom.**

"I hate my cousin for what she did to that boy's parents."

"Padfoot, she hasn't done it yet...and you hated her anyway," Remus responded.

"Then I hate her even more."

**Harry spent the entirety of the carriage ride examining the cover of Sirius's box**

"Honestly, Harry...I know you miss me, but this is a bit much," Sirius said.

**amidst the silence as his three friends watched, unsure of what they could say to console him.**

**Aboard the Hogwarts Express, Harry shared a compartment with Hermione, Ron, Neville, Ginny Weasley, and Luna Lovegood. He glanced around the compartment, from face to face, thinking about the danger he had put them all in,**

"You shouldn't put your friends in danger, Harry," said his soon-to-be mother.

"I don't think he did it on purpose, Lil...besides, Marauders can handle danger!" James replied.

"He's not a Marauder."

Sirius, James and Remus looked scandalized.

**venturing to the Ministry of Magic to find a Sirius that wasn't there...**

"Not that I don't want to change time, but should I really be listening to this?" Sirius asked.

"Probably not," James answered. "But whatchya gonna do, leave?"

"Nah."

"If you're going to listen, then listen. Stop interrupting, Padfoot," Remus said before continuing to read.

**Sirius had come because Harry was in danger.**

"Of course I did!"

"Padfoot!"

**Harry was in danger because he hadn't listened to his godfather.**

"You see? Should have listened to me...I know what I'm talking about."

"Padfoot! Stop interrupting me!!"

**Harry got up and reached above to the luggage rack, and removed the box from Sirius. The others watched as he opened it, removed a wrapped package from underneath the letters,**

"It's the mir--" Sirius cut himself off when Remus glared at him. "Sorry, Moony."

**sealed the box and stowed it above the luggage rack once more. Harry beckoned Ron to follow him and proceeded to exit the compartment,**

"Ooh...it's not safe to walk around while the train is motion...he should be sitting down..."

"Lily, I'm sure he'll be fine."

"How come you're so much nicer to her than you are to me?"

"Padfoot, shut up."

**walking briskly and searching for an empty compartment. Three cars back he found it and opened the door, and he and Ron entered.**

"**Colloportus," Harry said, waving his wand at the door to lock it. "Ron, I want you to have this." He handed Ron the package and watched as he unwrapped the mirror that matched the one in Harry's trunk.**

"**Harry, why are you giving me a mirror?" Ron asked, as though sure that his friend had finally lost it.**

**"It's not just a mirror, Ron. I have a matching one. They belonged to Sirius and my father, they used them while they were in school.**

Sirius chuckled. Remus glared.

**Sirius gave me one at Christmas, and this is the other...he left it to me, and I want you to have it. We can talk to each other simply by looking into the mirror and saying the other person's name," Harry explained, trying not to rush his words.**

**"Wow, thanks Harry. This is brilliant! But...why didn't we just use these to contact Sirius instead of using Umbridge's fire?" Ron asked, confused.**

"Because, Ronald, that would have been the wise decision," Sirius ventured.

"Are you saying my kid is dumb, Padfoot?"

"No, Prongs...I'm not. I'm saying he made an unwise decision."

"Like you've never made an unwise decision before."

**"Well...I didn't really know what they were. Sirius just handed it to me and said to use it if I needed him. I decided I wouldn't be the one to draw him away from the safety of Grimmauld Place and endanger his life,**

"Lot of good it did, I'm dead!"

"I thought you said you weren't. What happened to that optimism?" Remus asked, smirking.

**and I forgot about the mirrors. Lot of good it did...I ended up drawing him out anyway." Harry stared blankly at the ground waiting for Ron's response.**

"It's okay, Harry...I forgive you. It isn't you're fault," Sirius remarked.

"Padfoot, don't interrupt me again."

"**Harry...I know you think it's your fault, but it isn't. It was Voldemort's fault. Not yours. C'mon, let's go back to the compartment. Oh, promise me you'll carry the other mirror at all times, okay? This is way better than post or the fellytone."**

**"Telephone."**

"So it _is_ called a telephone, huh?"

"That's it. Here, Padfoot--you read. Then you can interrupt yourself." Remus pushed the story into Sirius's hands, and after a few seconds of Sirius gawking at Remus, he began to read.

**As they made their way back along the train corridor, Harry felt a bit uplifted, having his best friend on his side and having a surefire way to contact him anytime he needed. With Harry's mood lightened a bit, the remainder of the trip on the Hogwarts Express was much happier, Harry talked and joked with his friends. They had almost reached London when Draco Malfoy and his goons Crabbe and Goyle came to Harry's compartment.**

"Not them..." Lily said, worry creeping into her voice.

"Stupid Slytherins." James was scowling at the story.

**"Found some more people to worship you, Potter? I don't think much of your taste though. Longbottom's almost as dimwitted as a troll and Loony Lovegood...well,**

"Hey, Loony rhymes with Moony..." Sirius interrupted himself.

"Yes. How brilliant you are, Padfoot," replied Remus.

**I suppose you enjoy worship, no matter where it comes from," Draco remarked, causing Crabbe and Goyle to laugh.**

James scowled again. "Stay away from my son!"

**It wasn't more than a second before Draco had six wands pointing at him from inside the compartment, and as he backed out, Harry spotted fear behind Malfoy's eyes,**

"Hah! Take that, Slytherin crap!"

"You know, James...all this enmity between houses...it only leads to problems," Lily said.

"It's their fault! If they were decent human beings..." Sirius chimed in.

"Some of them aren't so bad," Lily whispered.

James and Sirius looked as though she'd just tried to curse them. "What about Snivellus?" James asked.

"Oh honestly...you'd think after all this time you could let a stupid schoolboy grudge go! I'm sick of hearing about it, James...it's like an obsession! I don't want this kind of attitude passed onto my son. He should be tolerant and compassionate."

"Right. Because the Slytherins will be compassionate towards him. The Death Eaters will be compassionate towards him. Voldemort will be--" James ranted.

"ENOUGH!" Lily looked on the verge of tears. "Sirius...just read."

**and this made his ride even more enjoyable.**

"At least someone is having an enjoyable time," James said, glaring at Lily.

**In the backseat of Uncle Vernon's car, feeling better about this coming summer than any thus far because of the words exchanged between the Order members and his uncle,**

"What words?" Sirius asked.

"I expect had we read the fifth book we'd know," Remus answered.

**Harry felt at peace. The knowledge that returning to Privet Drive once a year helped to keep him alive made it slightly easier, and he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he'd be back at the Burrow in a few weeks.**

**Harry finished bringing his things upstairs to his room at Number Four, Privet Drive and felt something turn cool and then warm in his pocket. He pulled out the mirror that Sirius had given him, and looked at his best friend's face, smiled and said, "Hi Ron!"**

"Good, he's using the mirrors. It was wise of me to send them to him...I'm sure they'll come in handy. Especially during History of Magic..." Sirius continued.

"My son...will not...goof off in class!" Lily reprimanded Sirius.

"Chill out, Lil...we used them and we got good grades..."

"James...just stop. You always take his side."

"Okay, everyone...let's take a break from the story. We'll get something to drink...something that will cool us down..." Remus coaxed. The three true Marauders and Lily walked silently into the kitchen where they drank lemonade and iced pumpkin juice with no words, only glances.

Lily and the Marauders filed silently back into the Potter's living room in Godric's Hollow. Sirius picked up the story and began to read.

**After assuring Ron that he had had a surprisingly quiet ride from King's Cross Station to Number Four, Privet Drive, and promising to talk with him later, Harry walked toward his trunk to unpack it. He opened the lid to find a small note lying atop his things that read, "He is never really gone."**

"Of course I'm never really gone. Because I'm still alive," Sirius remarked.

"Glad to see your optimism has returned, Padfoot," Remus said.

"Moony, would you please let me read?!?" mocked Sirius, before continuing.

**Harry knew this was from Albus Dumbledore, who must have placed it in his trunk when he packed his things that morning. Harry folded the note and put it beneath the loose floorboard under his bed where he had hidden spell books, quills and ink, cakes, and presents from his friends during previous summers at Privet Drive.**

"I'm so pissed off at my sister for making him HIDE things like that..."

"Lily, are you alright? You said pissed off. Earlier you said damn. James, maybe you oughtta take her to St. Mungo's," Sirius joked.

**His room was small and dark, equipped with only one small lamp on his bedside table that wasn't strong enough to compensate for the setting sun.**

"It's going to be hard to do his holiday homework in that light," said Remus.

"He'll strain his eyes!" Lily exclaimed. James rolled his eyes and sighed, and Sirius continued on.

**Harry decided he'd unpack in the morning and reached into his trunk only for his pajamas so that he could change and get to sleep. He placed his wand on his bedside table with the solitary lamp, comforted that it would be within easy reach. He knew that underage wizards weren't allowed to use magic outside of school, but with Lord Voldemort growing stronger, Harry wanted his wand with him at all times, even if it meant possible expulsion.**

"Do not get expelled, Harry James Potter..." Lily said in a motherly tone.

"I'd rather have our son alive and expelled rather than enrolled and killed," James responded, staring at Lily with disgust.

"He won't get expelled...It's Harry," Remus reasoned. They all looked at Sirius expecting him to comment, but instead he feigned frustration at their interruptions and continued to read.

**"Let me go!" Harry struggled against Remus Lupin's grasp.**

"Moony, why in the hell is my kid being forced to struggle against you? How did you even get there?" James asked angrily.

"I...I don't know what's going on," Remus admitted.

"That's a first! It's a bit unsettling, when the one who always knows everything knows nothing. Are you feeling okay, Moony? Maybe we should get you more books...then you'd know and--"

"Sirius, just keep reading the story. Stop rambling." Sirius knew James wasn't kidding around when he'd used his real name. He read on.

**They were in the Department of Mysteries, Harry had just watched Bellatrix Lestrange stun Sirius,**

"Now I hate her even more!"

**causing him to fall behind a very mysterious veil.**

**"He's gone, Harry...He won't come back. He's gone," Lupin pleaded with Harry, trying to restrain him.**

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Moony," Sirius muttered.

"Sorry, Padfoot...and there you go, James...Harry is obviously dreaming. I must have been restraining him from following Sirius beyond that veil..." Remus broke off in thought.

"Fine," James began, "keep reading, Padfoot."

**Harry collapsed onto himself. When he looked up he was facing the Fountain of Magical Brethren in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic. He could hear Bellatrix mocking his attempt to use the Cruciatious Curse on her.**

"He used an unforgivable?!?!" Lily shouted, now hyperventilating.

"Lily, calm down. It didn't work--" James began.

"Yeah, too bad...it'd be perfect for Bellatrix," Sirius interrupted.

"--he's probably going to have to use one anyway," James finished.

**His dream fast-forwarded to being in the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts, alone, exhausted and empty. Harry's eyes fluttered open.**

"What a sucky dream," Sirius commented.

"I believe that would be a nightmare, Padfoot," Remus corrected.

"Whatever."

**It was still dark outside, and Hedwig's cage was empty. "Probably gone hunting..." Harry thought. He lay awake on his bed, staring at the blank ceiling, not wanting to return to his dreams of remembering Sirius's death.**

"I'm not dead!"

"Honestly, Padfoot...you're not taking this very well. We have less than two years to live...you don't see us freaking out," James mused.

**Sleep took him though, and when he next looked up at his ceiling it was bright white with the sunlight pouring in from his shade-less windows.**

"No shades? How does he have any privacy?" James asked, appalled.

**He felt groggy and didn't want to leave the comfort of his bed. He heard the flap on his door swing and knew that Aunt Petunia had just delivered his breakfast.**

"Through a flap on the door? She is so dead," Lily said through clenched teeth.

**As cruel as it seemed, he preferred this way of interacting with the Dursley's as it didn't involve seeing or speaking to them.**

"I don't blame ya, Harry," Sirius said in a kind manner.

**Their fear of upsetting him had heightened since Uncle Vernon's talk with Mad-Eye Moody and other members of the Order of the Phoenix**

"Anyone's fears would be heightened after talking to Mad-Eye," James joked.

**and Harry supposed that the Dursley's thought it safest to not be in the presence of Harry this summer.**

"Yes! Good for Harry!" Sirius exclaimed, throwing his fist into the air.

**As he sat up, Harry's head cleared slightly, with the exception of the constant yet slight burning of his scar. This didn't worry him though, he expected nothing less now that Voldemort was back. Harry got dressed and began to unpack. He was about half way through when Hedwig glided back through the window, a small mouse clutched in her beak. As she enjoyed her self attained award, Harry took a break from unpacking to write up subscription requests for The Daily Prophet, Witch Weekly, and The Quibbler.**

"What's The Quibbler?" Sirius asked.

"Must be a publication. Again, probably mentioned in the fifth book," Remus answered.

**He enclosed 3 galleons with each subscription (enough for one month) and sent Hedwig off to deliver the notices. He had decided that he was tired of trying to catch glimpses and suggestions of Voldemort's movements from the Muggle news each day.**

"Why would the Muggles have news of Voldemort?" James wondered.

"Not of him, specifically, but odd disappearances and deaths and such..." Lily shuddered at the thought of Voldemort.

**He didn't care about getting in trouble with the Dursley's, he'd write to Mad-Eye if they gave him trouble over it.**

**Harry finished his unpacking and then ate the food Aunt Petunia pushed through his door. Cold toast. With nothing on it.**

"Yuck," said James. "Even I can cook better than that."

Lily laughed.

**Harry decided he'd have to ask his friends for food again. Harry couldn't ask Hermione,**

"Why not? Bookworms don't have food? Moony, do you have food?" Sirius joked.

"Of course I have food. Perhaps if you were to keep reading, we'd find out why she can't send Harry food."

**she was in America on vacation,**

"See?" Remus asked in an I-told-you-so voice.

**though she didn't want to go, in case something happened. He didn't really want to ask Hagrid, because he'd had enough experience to know that while Hagrid always put his heart into everything, his cooking could be dangerous.**

"His cooking certainly is...unique," Sirius recalled. "Prongs, remember the time you decided to try his tea cakes?"

"Don't remind me, Padfoot. Keep reading."

**Harry decided he'd have to ask Ron, though he felt slightly guilty doing that, as Ron had already assured him that he'd be at the Burrow as soon as possible. Avoiding asking Ron to forward him food,**

"I thought he said he was going to have to ask him," said Sirius.

"That doesn't mean he will right away, Sirius," Lily replied.

"Oh."

**Harry sat down on his bed and opened the box from Sirius. He pulled out the sealed letters and opened the one from Sirius first.**

"Why'd he read yours first? We're his parents!" James exclaimed, staring at Sirius as though he'd taken away his broomstick.

"Because it's my box. And I'm cool," Sirius replied, and then continued reading.

**As he broke the seal, a small key fell out of the letter, which Harry placed to the side before beginning to read.**

_**Dear Harry,**_

**_If Professor Dumbledore has given you this letter and my box, then it means I have passed on._**

"Not necessarily!" Sirius exclaimed.

"You wrote it," James remarked.

"Not yet I haven't," Sirius retorted.

**_I hope it was in a cool way, like fighting Death Eaters._**

"I wonder if I'm a Seer..."

"You're not."

**_The first thing I want you to know is that I am sorry I had to leave you, and hopefully I have not departed too soon. Listen, it is important that you not grieve over my death._**

"Why not? I'm too cool not to miss," Sirius whined.

"Look, Padfoot, if you're not going to read the damn story, then give it back to me and I'll read it!" Remus exclaimed.

"No."

_**You must try to practice Occlumency**_

"What's that?" Lily asked.

"It's the study of closing one's mind to legimens," Remus began.

"You mean mind readers?" James asked.

"Not quite. A legimens has the power and skills to enter someone else's brain, whereas mind reading is simply like reading a book. Or not so simple, if your Padfoot. Can we continue?"

"What's the rush, Moony? Got a date?"

"Shut up, Padfoot."

_**so that Voldemort cannot read into your thoughts and feelings.**_

**_I need to explain the contents of this box to you. The journals are what I thought you might enjoy the most, and they are, for the most part, self-explanatory. Your parents gave them to me when they went into hiding,_**

"See, Lily? I didn't steal it from you...you're going to give it to me," Sirius said smartly.

"Only if you're nice," Lily answered.

"But it's for Harry!"

"JUST READ!" Remus shouted. Everyone stared. Their usual calm friend's reaction, though it subsided quickly, was unnerving.

**_and I suppose I couldn't bring myself to pass them on to Peter Pettigrew, which I suppose was the one right thing I did in that situation._**

"Please...I don't want to think about that. Especially since I'm NOT allowed to change it," Sirius said painfully.

"It's okay Padfoot, I don't blame you for our deaths," James said kindly. Lily just stared.

**_The letters enclosed in the box are fairly important too. This one is obvious, because it contains my last words to you and information regarding the other items. The sealed letters from your parents to you have been read by no one, and were written to you the day before their deaths,_**

"Creepy...I wonder what they say. Do you think we knew?" Lily asked James, who shrugged.

**_and I found them at their house in Godric's Hollow before I went after Pettigrew. The other letters are correspondences between your parents and myself, and correspondences between myself and you, which I put into this box because I hadn't anywhere else to put them...I kept them in case they contained information that might be useful against Voldemort later._**

"Padfoot, I'm impressed at your thought of the future," Remus said.

"You know, Moony...I'm not actually dumb. Let's not forget I got good grades in school AND I'm an auror," Sirius said defensively.

**_The news clippings are something I felt I had to save...I know I wasn't your real father, but I knew James and Lily would have wanted anything about you saved._**

"Thanks, Sirius," said Lily, looking at him with adoration.

**_The mirror is the match to the one I gave you in your fifth year. Feel free to give one of them to whomever you may choose, and you can contact them in the way I described earlier. The key enclosed with this letter belongs to my vault at Gringotts._**

"Oooh, that's filled with money," Sirius said excitedly.

"Don't brag, Padfoot," James said.

**_You are now the keeper of the Black family fortune. That vault also includes the deed to Number 12, Grimmauld Place. You are welcome to live there if you please or continue to allow the Order to use it as Headquarters. You can owl Albus Dumbledore to let him know you're decision, just make sure not to disclose the address in the letter, in case it is intercepted. As Moody would say, Constant Vigilance!_**

"Uh oh, you just quoted Mad-Eye..." James teased.

"Shut it, Prongs."

**_That should explain all the contents of this box, Dumbledore has arranged with the Ministry to allow you to use magic to open and seal this box (no other magic until you are no longer underage though)._**

"Exactly! He could get hurt!"

"Lily, we used magic outside of school before we were of age," James replied.

"You did? How did you avoid getting caught?"

"Avoid it? Who said anything about that? It was all minor offenses, very easy to argue out of trouble, you know..."

"Stop setting bad examples for our son."

"Lil, that was years ago...besides, he's not even born yet!"

Sirius read on...

_**Please make sure you do seal the box and its contents, as it contains still sensitive information.**_

_**Just so you know, Harry, I never once confused you with James,**_

"Who said you did?" James asked Sirius.

"Dunno."

"Must be in the fifth book," Remus said...again.

**_but loved you as though you were my own son._**

James and Lily looked adoringly at Sirius.

**_I am sorry for my absences during your life, and wish more than anything else that I could make it up to you. I, like your parents, will continue to watch over you from whatever awaits us on the other side of life, I know you will make us all exceedingly proud._**

_**Sirius**_

"Wow...that's really..." James began.

"Profound?" Remus suggested.

"Well written?" Lily asked.

"Cool?" Sirius ventured.

"I was going for sappy," James revealed, and blocked a pumpkin-head jinx that Sirius sent his way. "Hey! No hostile magic!"

**Harry looked down at Sirius's signature for a while before he rolled up the letter and placed it back in the box. He wasn't yet ready to read the letters from his parents,**

"Why not?" James asked, frustrated. "You read Padfoot's! Read ours!"

"James, don't yell at our unborn child."

"You scolded him about packing, but I can't be cross when he doesn't want to know our last words to him?"

"Exactly. The packing...that had no emotional attachment. This...you're really upset with him. It's bad luck."

James sighed and looked away, listening to Sirius reading.

**but he did want to talk to someone. The easiest person to speak to was Ron, who also happened to be his best friend. He reached over to his bedside table and picked up Sirius's mirror.**

"It's yours now, Harry," Sirius said kindly.

**Looking into it, he clearly spoke the words "Ronald Weasley" and waited a mere ten seconds or so before Ron's concerned face appeared in his mirror.**

"**Harry, is everything alright? Are the Muggles mistreating you? Should I write to Mad-Eye?" Ron asked each question without giving Harry time to answer.**

**Harry smiled back and replied, "Everything's okay. The Muggles still can't cook, but are generally leaving me alone, and you don't need to write to Moody." Harry talked to Ron about Sirius's final words, and was cheered up a bit when Ron said he'd send food if Harry would send Hedwig...Pig, Ron's owl,**

"That's the owl I gave him after the third book!" Sirius exclaimed.

**was too small to carry loads of food.**

"Oh, so it's not good enough, huh?"

"Calm down, Padfoot," Remus said.

**Harry continued talking to Ron for about a half hour, settling food plans and joking around. As the afternoon wore on Harry put aside the mirror and closed his eyes to take a nap.**

"It's not healthy to sleep all day," Lily began. "It's usually a sign of depression."

"Well, think about it Lily, you guys are dead, and I'm dead...Wormtail is a traitor who helped bring Voldemort back to power, Harry's obviously mad at Moony for keeping him from following me and saying I was dead--"

"It says no where that Harry is mad at me," Remus interjected defensively.

"--And he's still pissed at Dumbledore, why shouldn't he be depressed--"

"I love how I respond to something and you just ignore me, Padfoot," Remus said.

"--and his best friend is in the states. And I'm dead!"

"I thought you were being optimistic about that one," Remus tried again.

"Oh yeah..."

"Nice rant there, Padfoot. But my kid isn't depressed."

"How do you know, Prongs? You're not there, you're dead too," Sirius replied.

"I need another drink."

"Pumpkin juice?" Lily offered her husband.

"No, firewhisky. Then we'll read more."

"I don't think Padfoot should read anymore...I think there's even more interruptions," Remus said, half-joking.

"Fine, Moony, I won't." Sirius tossed the story to James, whose Quidditch reflexes came in handy trying to catch the story without spilling his drink. "Your turn, Prongs."

**Harry woke up the morning of his third day back at Privet Drive, feeling somewhat refreshed compared to the past couple of days.**

"Oh good, he's feeling better!" Lily said as she smiled.

**He heard a tapping at his window, and as he put on his glasses and the outline of four hovering owls became clearer, although Hedwig was not among them.**

"Four owls in one morning? Good gods...my kid is popular," James said proudly.

**"Probably still at Ron's..." Harry muttered as he stood up and opened the window, admitting the four frustrated birds.**

"Birds can be frustrated?" Sirius asked.

"Course they can," Remus answered knowingly.

**Feeling bad for leaving them outside for a while, Harry gave each owl an Eeylop's Owl Treat before they left their letters and departed. Two of the letters were from members of the Order of the Phoenix, one was from Hermione**

"That had to be a long flight," Sirius commented. "From the states and all."

**and the last was from Hagrid. Harry opened the envelope on which Hagrid's scrawled writing read "Harry Potter, 2nd Bedroom, Number Four Privet Drive, Surrey England.**

_**Harry,**_

_**How are you? Just thought I'd write to let yeh know that Dumbledore has asked me to visit Headquarters to take care of Beaky, so I get ter see him once a week!**_

_**Thanks for allowin us to use the place, Dumbledore was glad to know you approved, and his letter is comin back with Hedwig after she goes to Ron's.**_

**_Heard abou' the mirrors an' all, good idea to give the other to Ron._**

"How'd he know about the mirrors?" Sirius asked.

"Dumbledore, probably. Tells Hagrid lots of stuff," Lily said.

_**Hope all's well,**_

_**Hagrid**_

**Harry re-read Hagrid's letter, wishing that he had been a little bit more careful about what he wrote, in case it was intercepted.**

"Wars with evil dark wizards suck. You just can't write the things you want to say," Sirius joked.

"It's nothing to laugh about, Sirius. You should understand that, being an auror!" Lily said, getting slightly upset.

"Without humor, grief would overcome," replied Sirius. No one said anything for a few moments, then James continued.

**He then picked up his quill and wrote an answer, to be sent back when Hedwig returned.**

_**Hagrid,**_

_**I'm okay, thanks. That's great that you get to see your old friend once a week, I'm sure it will make your summer a happier one than last. It's not a problem letting everyone stay, I wouldn't have used the place anyway.**_

"I don't blame you, Harry. I ran away, even," Sirius said.

**_Have a good summer, see you soon._**

_**Harry**_

**Hermione's letter was on top of his unread mail now, but he decided to read it last, as it would probably be the longest. He instead opened the other two, one was from Moody checking up on him, and the other was from Lupin doing the same,**

"Thanks, Moony," James, Lily and Sirius chorused.

"Er, no problem."

**but also thanking him for letting the Order continue to use Sirius's house as headquarters, and to contact him if Harry needed anything. He wrote responses to let them both know he was fine. He then picked up Hermione's fat envelope and opened it. He pulled out a fairly short letter**

"I thought it was going to be the longest one," Sirius said.

"Sometimes people can be wrong, Padfoot," James replied.

"I see. I am never wrong, Prongs." James, Lily and Remus laughed.

**along with American Quidditch Pamphlets**

"Cool!" James and Sirius exclaimed in unison.

**and clippings from American Magical Newspapers. He read her letter first.**

**_Dear Harry,_**

**_I hope that you are having an easier start to summer with the muggles than previous years. I know you're not alright though, so please don't write back to me that you are._**

"Are you sure she's not in love with our son?" James asked.

"They're just friends, James. Not all girls fawn over Potter boys," Lily said.

"You do," James retorted.

"Not right now I don't."

"Ouch, Lil..."

**_I'm sorry I can't be there to listen to you so that you can heal after his death. You are not alone though, everyone knows you're going through a rough time, so talk to people if you need to. Do not underestimate the importance also of letting certain people know if the usual pain returns._**

"What the hell is she talking about?" James asked.

"His scar, Prongs," Sirius answered. "She's being vague in case the letter falls into the wrong hands."

**_Moony would be a good person to tell if you don't feel right telling anyone else._**

"So I'm a last resort? Thanks, Hermione," Remus joked.

**_I sent along some things with this letter, I thought it might interest you and anyone else of importance what the American Magic Council is dealing with over here...The clues have been subtle, but I believe there are supporters here as well._**

"Supporters for good or supporters for evil? It makes all the difference..." Sirius said, concerned.

"Probably both," Remus answered. "Just like here."

_**I also sent some Quidditch Pamphlets along, I thought they'd cheer you up. I've been to a game, New York versus California. The teams here are divided by states.**_

**_I must go, I hope this owl finds you alright, it was the largest they had, but it's a long flight. I'll send you your birthday gift_**

"She got him a gift! She does like him! Hah! Harry's got a girlfriend. Way to go, son!"

"She's been getting him gifts all along, Prongs, don't get overexcited," Remus stated.

_**when I get back to England...I didn't want it dropped into the big blue! See you soon!**_

**Hermione**

**"Now that's a vague letter!" Harry thought proudly, trying and failing to see how an outsider could gather much from it.**

"See, Prongs?"

"Yeah, Padfoot...stop interrupting."

"I told you I was never wrong," Sirius answered.

**He decided he'd wait until Hermione was back in Europe before writing to her; he didn't want to subject Hedwig to such a long flight.**

**Harry stretched out on his bed and let his eyes move in and out of focus as he drifted to sleep.**

"More sleep? During the day? Harry...honey, that's not healthy!"

"Lily, he's fine. Apparently he just had a huge fight with Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries, so let the boy rest up a bit! It's only been a few days," James said. Lily seemed to get only more nervous at the mention of key phrases such as "Death Eaters" and "Department of Mysteries".

**When he opened his eyes, he was looking out at ground level on the kitchen at Number 12 Grimmauld Place.**

"I wonder if he's a Legiclens," Remus said.

"What's that?" James asked.

"It's a type of mind travel that occurs during dreams, where the dreamer can transport himself to other locations or other people's minds," Remus answered. "It can be rather useful, but it's incredibly difficult to control."

"Oh."

**Kreacher was sitting on the floor swaying back and forth with a deranged smile on his face.**

**"I hate Kreacher. He made my life hell...along with my parents," Sirius said angrily.**

**Upon noticing Harry's head among the green flames in front of him, Kreacher the house-elf calmed himself and ambled over to the fireplace.**

**"Master is gone...gone to the Ministry to find you!"**

"But I'm gone!"

"He's dreaming, Padfoot."

"Oh yeah."

**Kreacher stalked away to his cupboard, cackling as he went.**

**Harry knew differently though...he knew that Sirius Black was upstairs tending to Buckbeak the Hippogriff. Harry pulled his head out of the fire and then walked in, throwing a fistful of floo powder into the flames as he shouted Number 12, Grimmauld Place!**

"I don't like him traveling by floo powder...he could get lost again, like he did right before his second year!" Lily exclaimed.

"You don't like him flying, you don't like him floo-powdering, you didn't like the knight bus, and I suspect you won't like him apparating. How is he supposed to get around? Ease up, Lil." This earned James a glare from his wife.

**As he began to spin, he shut his eyes and pulled his elbows close to his body, trying not to inhale the hot ash. He slid out of the fireplace feet first, onto the kitchen floor of the Black Household.**

**Harry crept through the hallway to the staircase as quietly as possible to avoid waking the painting of Sirius's mother, which screamed insults at anyone who made too much noise.**

"Only if you're not evil. Since Harry's not evil though, best that he makes little noise," Sirius said wisely.

**He climbed the stairs and walked down the hall, to the room at the end, next to the room he slept in during his time at Grimmauld Place.**

"What time there? I don't want Harry to have to be in that house!" Sirius exclaimed, protectively.

"Book five," Remus said.

**He stared at the door then reached his hand out to the doorknob, just knowing he'd find his godfather on the other side.**

**As he pushed the door ajar, he could see Buckbeak, sitting against the wall, and the shadow of a man getting food ready for the hippogriff. He could hear movement and decided to venture inside. The man turned to face Harry. He was fairly young, but looked tired and thin. He had scratches along his face, and as the full moon came into view through the window his face began to screw up in " Remus said.**

"He can't hear you, mate," Sirius replied.

Lily whimpered and James read on.

******This man was Remus Lupin, and before his transformation he muttered, "He is gone Harry. There is nothing for you here right now. Go, before it is too late."**

**Harry ran out of the room, shutting the door behind him, and reaching into his robes for his wand, trying to ignore the screams from the other side...searching frantically, he couldn't find it.**

"Not good," James said. "It's bad to not be able to find your wand."

Lily whimpered again.

**"Hedwig..." Harry said, opening his eyes to find his bright white owl on her perch. "I have jobs for you!" He seemed to wake instantly, filled with the need to send her off delivering the letters he'd written earlier; Harry forgot his dream.**

"That's good...it wasn't a very good dream," Lily said.

"Might have been useful though," Remus replied.

******Hedwig had brought food and a letter from Professor Dumbledore. Mince pies, rolls, cakes...his stomach growled with anticipation.**

"He's starving! I am going to make my sister pay! Vernon too!"

"And Dudley!" James continued.

******He put the food and the Headmaster's letter aside, fastened the letters he'd written to Hedwig's leg and sent her off into the night.**

******Miles away, at the Burrow, Ron Weasley looked into a mirror and muttered, "Harry Potter". Harry's face appeared, thanked him for the food, and they discussed Quidditch for at least an hour before breaking the connection.**

"How could they discuss Quidditch for only an hour?" James asked.

"How could they discuss Quidditch for an entire hour?" Lily countered.

"You just don't get--" James began.

"Quidditch. Yes, I know," Lily finished. "Is there more to the story, or is that it?"

"No, there's more. I need a break though. Lil, you read."

"Fine. I will," Lily snatched the story from James's hands.

Lily scanned the page to find where James had left off and continued reading the story.

**Several weeks had passed since Harry had dreamt about his godfather.**

"Looks like he's finally getting over you, mate," James said to Sirius.

"Yeah, but he was already over you," Sirius joked back.

**Twice a week he'd sent Hedwig to Remus Lupin and Alastor Moody with letters that read the same two words, "I'm fine."**

"What a boring letter...Harry, I'm hurt. You can't write anything more than that?" Remus asked, pouting.

**Harry hadn't even felt the usual pain from the lightening bolt-shaped scar on his forehead.**

"Good! I don't like the idea of that scar..." Lily said.

**Until this morning... **

"Well that just jams my toast. Shit," Lily commented.

"Lily, you--"

"Yes, Sirius, I swore, it's not THAT uncommon...really now."

**The sun was just beginning to stretch out across England when Harry Potter awoke to the sound of shrill and mirthless laughter, coupled with the sensation that his head might explode,**

"I...I can't read the next part," Lily whispered, handing the story to Remus and holding her face in her hands. James put a comforting arm around his wife and waited to find out what Lily couldn't bear to say out loud.

**shattering into a thousand tiny pieces. Harry's body instinctively convulsed into the fetal position and he lay there, as the dawn crept on, knowing that Lord Voldemort was pleased.**

"Wow...that...well, that..." But exactly what that was, James couldn't seem to say. He just stared in silence, still holding Lily.

**As the pain slowly subsided, Harry's muscles relaxed and he lay on his side, eyes shut tight against the growing light outside his window, not wanting to return to whatever dream he had but willing himself to sleep all the same. If I get up now, then I have to acknowledge that I had that dream...maybe if I just fall asleep I'll forget.**

"A dream like that? Not likely, Harry," Sirius said glumly.

"It could be a very useful dream...to know how Voldemort is feeling, especially with the war starting back up," Remus commented.

**As he thought this, he knew he wouldn't forget those red eyes set into the pale serpent-like face. He knew the day drew closer when he would have to fight that face, and either win or lose...kill or be killed.**

Lily lifted her face out of her hands just so that her eyes could peer over the top of her fingers at Remus. "Kill or be killed? Is that the prophecy? Is that what my son is destined for...to be a victim or a murderer?" She began to sob and James held her closer, telling her over and over that it would be alright.

"Lily...honey, he's not going to lose. And...to kill Voldemort isn't really murder...it's saving the world," James added.

"Yeah, Lily...he'll be okay, we're all watching over him," Sirius reminded her.

"How in the bloody hell do you know that, Sirius?" Lily questioned.

"I don't KNOW that...I feel it. We'll never leave Harry. Besides, something about that veil in the Department of Mysteries...it seems as though it's some sort of connection to another existence. There must be a way to exit it if there's a way to enter it," Sirius answered.

"Don't worry Lily, everything would work out. Good always triumphs over evil." Remus continued to read after Lily's sobs died away.

**Harry tried to push those dismal thoughts out of his mind as he slowly opened his eyes and sat up.**

"Good boy, Harry. Optimism is the way," Sirius said, somber after Lily's tears.

**Harry looked around his room, dimly lit by the early sun. Hedwig was gone...he'd kept her pretty busy this summer, delivering letters to members of the Order twice a week. There was a collection of deliveries below his windowsill, one of which was the Daily Prophet. The face of Lucius Malfoy**

"Ugh, not him..." James said in disgust.

**stared up at him from the paper. Lucius had long slick white-blond hair, the same hair as his son, Draco Malfoy, who was one of Harry's least favorite people.**

"That's being a little kind, isn't it? They hate each other," Remus commented.

**The headline above Lucius's smirking face read, "Death Eater Escapes Azkaban Prison, Dementors Rejoin He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."**

"Shit," James said.

"Damnit," Remus replied.

"Fuck!" Sirius exclaimed. Lily looked at them all reproachfully, especially Sirius.

**"Shit," Harry exclaimed as he unfolded the paper to read the article.**

"You see the influence you have on him? He swore...Good going boys," Lily said, glad to be discussing something other than her son's fate.

**Lucius Malfoy, of Malfoy Manner, escaped from Azkaban Prison last night. Charged a little over a month ago and found guilty of being a Death Eater, Malfoy was sentenced to life in Azkaban Prison. Lucius Malfoy is considered to be in You-Know-Who's innermost circle and should not be approached by anyone other than Ministry officials. If any witch or wizard knows of Malfoy's whereabouts, please contact the Ministry immediately.**

"I wish we could show this to the Ministry now, and get him locked up. It'd save Harry, and everyone so much trouble," commented Sirius.

"You know we can't. You know what kind of consequences that would have," Remus began.

"Yeah...bad ones," James finished.

**It is believed that Lucius's escape, along with the escape of other now-known Death Eaters Crabbe and Goyle, is connected with the parting of the Dementors, former guards of Azkaban Prison. It is believed that they have gone to join You-Know-Who. All witches and wizards are cautioned to avoid Dementors at any cost, and alert the Ministry if you spot one.**

"Time to start learning Patronuses," James remarked.

"I taught your son how to use one," Remus said proudly.

"Yes, thank you, Moony."

**Harry threw the paper down on the floor and went immediately to his desk to write letters to Professor Dumbledore, Lupin and Moody.**

"Good thinking, Harry," Remus said.

"I knew my boy was smart," James replied.

******Harry nervously dipped his quill in his ink and wrote:**

**_I am NOT fine. I dreamt about him last night. Lots of pain this morning. He was happy. Read this morning, most displeased and concerned. Please respond A.S.A.P._**

**__****-Harry**

"That was a good letter," Sirius said.

"Short and concise," Remus stated.

"Very effective I should think. Moony, you damn well better respond," James said seriously.

"No worries, Prongs."

******He then copied the letter and sealed all three and sat, waiting for Hedwig to return.**

******A few hours later, the flap on Harry's door opened and a bony hand pushed through cold and sticky porridge. Harry turned his gaze towards the bowl, the same bowl three times a day with the same meal.**

"I thought he ate toast," Sirius said.

"Damn, you have a good memory."

"James, stop swearing in front of Harry right this instant!"

"Maybe the toast was a special welcome home meal?" Sirius questioned.

**Sometimes he ate it, and sometimes he just left it there, which usually resulted in a row through the door with his aunt. Apparently, not eating cold mush that was pushed through his door each day made him an ingrate.**

"If she only knew...knew what he was up against..."

"Lily, she'd still treat him the same way. She hates you."

"Thank you, James, for pointing that out," Lily replied sarcastically.

Today, Harry didn't feel like eating.

"That's not healthy, not to eat!"

"Lily, enough. Leave the kid alone."

"You don't care if your own son is depressed, starves, or falls out of the sky off his broom to his death!" James looked hurt, as though someone had just hit him with a Cruciatious Curse. Lily apologized quickly, realizing that she'd gone too far.

******He didn't feel like fighting either,**

"The real warrior finds a way not to fight," Remus said.

**so he pushed the contents of the bowl out his window into the garden below. He sat down on his bed, watching the light outside his window grow brighter by the minute, awaiting Hedwig's return.**

"Kind of boring, isn't it?" Sirius asked.

"I think he's kind of tense right now--oh honestly, Lily, he'll be fine--but I think he's not interested in whether or not the pastime of sitting on the bed is boring," Remus said.

**It must have been at least three o'clock in the afternoon when Hedwig glided in through Harry's open window. He sat stiffly staring at her for a minute before rising and walking over to his desk to fetch the letters he'd written that morning. As he strapped the letters to her legs he instructed her, "Hedwig, I know you're tired...but I need to you deliver these as quickly as possible, and bring responses from all three. Go to Dumbledore first, and then Lupin, go to Moody last as he'll probably want to destroy all of Surrey just to make sure there are no dark wizards here,"**

"Do we know anyone in Surrey besides Petunia and her family?" James asked.

"Nope," Sirius replied.

"Only Harry," Lily answered.

"Not anyone I can think of," Remus said.

"Then let Moody destroy it...once Harry is out, of course," James said with a manic grin.

**he finished fastening the letters and finished by saying, "Not that I would mind not dealing with my Aunt and Uncle anymore...Thanks Hedwig."**

"Harry truly is your son, Prongs," Remus said. James beamed.

**Harry sat back down on his bed and watched as she flew away, out of sight. As dusk threatened to overtake the sunny outdoors,**

"I didn't know dusk was so threatening..." Sirius joked, trying to lighten the mood in the room some more.

**Harry's gaze fell away from the window to Sirius's box. He picked up his wand and opened the magical barriers, and began to read some more letters and bits of the journals, as he had done at dusk for the past few weeks.**

"At least he stopped just sitting," Sirius commented.

"That only bothers you because you can't ever sit still, Padfoot," Remus answered.

"I'm sitting still now, aren't I? See, I am always right," Sirius grinned as this last comment forced a chuckle out of everyone, including Lily.

**Most of the words were written before Voldemort was at his peak, and so most of the letters and journals reflected every day occurrences, however, Harry still enjoyed reading them as he felt like he began to know a bit more about the lives of his parents and godfather.**

"Harry does care about you guys!" Sirius acted surprised. James and Lily glared.

**The flap on Harry's door opened, and a bony hand reached in to take his bowl. About a minute later, the same bowl was returned, filled again with cold and sticky porridge. Harry said nothing to his aunt as he listened to her footsteps carrying her away from his door and down the stairs. He put the contents of Sirius's box back neatly, and sealing the lid he crawled onto the floor and reached under his bed, to the loose floorboard. He pulled out one of Mrs. Weasley's mince pies, and although it was a bit dry by now, he enjoyed it thoroughly.**

"I'm not one for mince, but that does sound better than cold porridge. Or any porridge, really," James said.

"Porridge is good for you!" Lily exclaimed.

"Every day?" Sirius asked.

"Well, no...not every day. And certainly not cold..."

**Harry placed his glasses on his bedside table and lay back on his sheets, ready to fall asleep, when he heard the soft flutter of wings and Hedwig landed on his bed at his side. He sat up, fumbling in the dark for his glasses and his wand. He gently patted Hedwig and saw her fly into her cage and listened as she took some water after her flight. "Lumos."**

"I thought Harry was only supposed to use magic to open Sirius's box! He'll get in trouble!"

"He'll be fine, Lily...The number of times I used Lumos underage and out of school..." James began to reminisce.

"If he gets in trouble, I'm blaming you."

******Harry's wand tip ignited so that he could see the responses from Dumbledore, Lupin, and Moody. They all read the same:**

**_Arthur Weasley is coming for you in the morning._**

"Thank the gods, they're taking him out of that hell hole," Sirius sighed.

"Sirius, if Harry got that swearing from you, so help me..."

"He probably did, Lily...but we can't prove it," Remus said, trying to stifle a laugh.

Harry crumpled up the parchment and tossed it onto his floor, and muttering "Nox",

"That's right, young man. You put that light out immediately before you get into trouble," Lily scolded.

******he placed his now unlit wand and glasses again on his nightstand and lay back to sleep.**

**"****Harry? Harry...are you there? He's gone missing, Harry..."**

"Who's he?" Sirius asked.

"Patience, Padfoot. Let me read and you'll find out," Remus answered.

**came Ron's voice from the drawer in Harry's nightstand. Harry gave a great sigh, once again putting on his glasses and igniting his wand,**

"Harry Potter! Put that wand out right now!"

"He can't hear you, Lily," James said.

**he opened the drawer and extracted a small mirror, in which he could see the face of his best friend.**

**"****Ron, what on EARTH are you going on about? Can't it wait until tomorrow when your dad is coming to get me?" Harry snapped.**

"Hm, I'll have to remember not to wake him up in the middle of the night unless it's REALLY important," Sirius said, making a note to himself.

"What would merit waking a teenager?" Remus mused.

"Voldemort."

Lily let out a quick sob, and James glared at Sirius. "Damnit, Padfoot..."

**"****Dad's going to get...? Bloody hell,**

"Why do all these children swear?" Lily asked, sadly.

"Harry's girlfriend doesn't," James replied.

"Harry hasn't got a girlfriend," Lily stated.

"Actually, he probably does...all that fame..."

"Padfoot, that didn't help," James said.

"Sorry."

"May I continue reading please? Or would you all like to quarrel some more?" Remus asked, once again getting agitated.

**Harry, don't you read the paper? Percy's gone! He's gone missing! **

"Who's Percy again?" Sirius asked.

**"Ron's brother. The annoying one," Remus answered.**

******Look, I can see you're in a right state, but just don't mention it to Dad or Mum tomorrow...See you." Ron's face disappeared.**

**Harry lay back, thinking, his glasses on, wand in one hand, mirror in the other. His thoughts slowly moved into his dreams as the night continued. He did not remember his dreams the next morning when he woke to pack his things.**

"That's probably a good thing, considering how that boy dreams," Sirius commented.

**"Happy Birthday Harry!" yelled the entire Weasley family and Hermione **

"Harry's girlfriend!"

"James, stop it! He is too young to date!"

**as Harry and Mr. Weasley got up off the hearth floor, dusting the soot off themselves and Harry's things. "Happy sixteenth, mate," Ron said, all frustrations about Harry's grumpiness forgotten. Harry didn't have a chance to answer Ron because Hermione had flung her arms around Harry's neck.**

"See that, Lil? They are an item!"

"James!"

**"Happy birthday, Harry. We were so worried..." **

"She was worried about him and all, too...kinda the way you worry about me," James said.

"You should be worrying about you if you keep pressing the matter," Lily answered threateningly.

**Harry's sixteenth birthday was the best yet.**

"That's not really saying much, unfortunately," Sirius said.

"Prongs, you read. Padfoot's interruptions are really annoying me, and Lily gets upset when she reads about danger and stuff...and it's your son," Remus reasoned.

"Okay, let's have the story then," James agreed.

"The story is almost over," James said with traces of sadness and relief in his voice. "I really think after this one we oughtta read the fifth book..."

**Harry was glad to be aboard the Hogwarts Express. This past summer was, to say the least, painful. Even the summer after his fourth year, when he got attacked by dementors and almost got expelled...**

"He WHAT?" Lily shouted.

"It says, 'he got attack--'"

"I heard you, James...I just, I can't believe it. That's terrible! And he almost got expelled!"

"Lily, if we're going to finish this story, you need to calm down a bit," James said kindly.

"Fine. Go ahead."

**even that summer wasn't as hard as this last one. Even though he spent the last month at the Burrow and Grimmauld Place, this summer was still the worst. It was getting easier though, he was finally starting to accept the death of his godfather.**

"Don't be so quick to accept it, Harry. We may learn what that veil is about. We might be able to get him back," Remus said hopefully.

"You know, Moony, I am still in the room and I am still alive. No need to refer to me as if I'm not," Sirius sounded offended.

**Visiting Grimmauld Place was especially difficult.**

"It's difficult going there without memories of people you care about. That place is Hell with walls," Sirius said.

"Easy, Padfoot," James replied.

**Remus Lupin had not come to the door to greet Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys**

"Why not? I'm not dead now too, am I? Wow, that'd suck. No more Marauders," Remus concluded.

"There is one left..."

"He doesn't count, Lily," Remus answered sharply.

******as they quietly entered the "Most Noble House of Black",**

"Noble my paw."

"You tell it Padfoot."

"Prongs, shut it."

"How can I read if I 'shut it'?" James teased. Sirius glared at him, and he continued to read.

******headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix. Instead, he sat at the kitchen table,**

"Oh good, I am alive."

**an almost-empty glass of firewhisky in his hand.**

"Ew, I hate firewhisky," Remus said.

"The taste grows on you," James replied, glancing at his now empty glass.

**He had, of course, brightened up a bit when he finally noticed their presence, but for the entirety of their two-day visit his mind seemed elsewhere. He looked how Harry had felt all summer long.**

"Distraught, disappointed and depressed?" Remus began. "Eh, I've looked worse."

**Harry knew it was because Sirius had been Remus's best friend, since their days at Hogwarts...the last of them to go.**

"Why is it I outlive everyone? It's not as though my life quality is all that great," Remus wondered.

"I guess you just have yet to piss off Voldemort as much as the rest of us."

"What are you getting at, Prongs?"

"Nothing Moony. Think nothing of it," and with a grin, James continued to read.

**Harry had a difficult time at Grimmauld Place, everywhere he looked reminded him of his godfather,**

"I thought he was over you, Sirius."

"Thanks Lily. Thanks a lot. You're just jealous because he read MY letter first!"

**and how he, Harry, had indirectly been responsible for his death.**

"Harry, it is not your fault that I am...well, where I am," Sirius ventured.

"Actually, Padfoot, it sort of is. If Harry had used the mirrors, then Kreacher wouldn't have tricked him and no one on our side would have had to fight in the Department of Mysteries. You'd still be around and Harry wouldn't know the prophecy," Remus said.

**No matter what anyone told him, he would never change his mind about that...he would never forgive himself for his stupidity. On the second day of their visit, Harry had secluded himself in Buckbeak's room, just as Sirius used to do when he was in foul moods.**

"And they say the moon affects you, Moony," James began.

"Prongs, stay on that track and there's another pumpkin head curse coming your way," Sirius replied in jest, twirling his wand in his hand as he spoke.

**And then, the one good thing about their visit to Number Twelve occurred...Harry heard Hagrid's booming voice downstairs, to be followed of course by Mrs. Black's screaming. Hagrid being the size he was, he was easily able to pull shut the curtains that had flown open to reveal her screeching painted self.**

"Thank the gods. I wonder what she affixed herself to the wall with that we weren't able to get her down. Maybe a slicing charm..." Sirius began.

"Or maybe Hagrid could just rip her off the wall," Lily finished. The Marauders looked at her, shocked. "What? I don't like her, no offense to you Sirius."

"None taken."

**Harry ran down the stairs two at a time and almost knocked over Ron and Hermione, who, until Hagrid had arrived, had been on their way to bring Harry some lunch.**

**"Alrigh' you three?" Hagrid asked, jovially.**

"Hmm, not really. Perhaps Harry should have sent one of those 'I'm not fine' letters to Hagrid," James stated.

**The next few hours were filled with laughter. Harry was sure that Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place hadn't been filled with laughter since Christmas almost a year ago. It was then that he decided that Sirius wouldn't have wanted everyone to be sad all the time.**

"Damn straight I wouldn't. Just don't...forget about me."

"I thought you were still alive, Padfoot."

"Lot of good it'd do, to still be living Moony, if everyone forgets to find a way to get me out from behind that veil."

**He knew he wasn't completely over his godfather's death, but he was getting there.**

"Is it mean if I don't want to be 'gotten over'?" Sirius asked.

"Not so much, no. But, for Harry's happiness, although he'll never forget you, he needs to get over your so-called death," Lily responded.

**His remaining summer had rushed past him, and now the Hogwarts Express was speeding along towards its destination. Harry was glad this summer was over. He was glad there weren't any extra tests awaiting him at the end of this year,**

"I wonder how he did on his O.W.L.'s!" Lily exclaimed, her face lit up with anticipation.

**like last June when he had to take his O.W.L.'s. He had managed to even get an O.W.L. in Potions,**

"Told you my boy was smart!"

"No one said he wasn't, Prongs," Remus said.

"Padfoot hinted."

"Let it go," Remus replied.

**and this year he would be starting N.E.W.T. classes.**

"He is going to have a lot of homework. I hope his study habits improve slightly. He should take Hermione's example..."

"Oh, you mean, his girlfriend?"

"James, stop trying to bait me into an argument. Did you know it's not good for expecting mothers to feel lots of stress? I'm surprised Harry doesn't have 3 heads with all the stress you give me."

"Like Fluffy," Sirius interjected. The glares he received from Lily and James were painful, so he opted not to continue.

**He wasn't looking forward to more class time with Severus Snape, Potions Master and Harry's least favorite teacher, but he wanted to be an Auror...**

"Cool! Just like you and me, Prongs!" Sirius exclaimed.

**that was, if he could live through the next two years.**

"Don't be so glum, chum. You'll be fine," Sirius smiled.

"Padfoot, try to show some tact." While James and Remus let Sirius know they were upset with him by calling him by his real name, Lily accomplished the same task by calling him by his nickname. He thus decided to say no more. For now, anyway.

**The battle with Voldemort...the prophecy...it still weighed heavy on his mind. He swore to himself not only would he vanquish Voldemort, but he was going to have his revenge on Bellatrix Lestrange as well, for killing Sirius.**

"Thanks, Harry!" Sirius said.

"I don't want him doing anything dangerous..."

"Lily, why don't you have him just live in a bubble?" James asked.

**"Harry? Are you alright?" Hermione asked, gently. He looked around at his friends, who were all watching him while he was deep in thought.**

"You know, I still think..."

"James. Stop. Now." Lily said before he could continue.

**"No...there's something you all should know. Yes, I think it's time to tell you..." Neville, Ginny, and Luna got up to leave. "Stay. You three were in the Department of Mysteries last June also. Especially Neville...Neville needs to stay."**

"Getting a bit bossy, aren't we?" Sirius joked.

"Padfoot, shut up." James responded.

**Harry spent the majority of the remaining train ride explaining the prophecy **

"Should he be trusting them? Telling them all that..."

"Prongs, now YOU sound like Mad-Eye..." James went back to reading the story immediately after Remus's observation.

******and everything that Dumbledore had explained to him. He finished speaking, and sat waiting for reactions. None came, so he said, "Look, I know things are going to get much more dangerous for me or anyone who hangs around me, so I'll understand if—"**

**"—Don't be a prat, Harry. We're you're friends. We're gonna stick around. There isn't anything you can do to keep us from your side. You have to fight Voldemort? We'll fight Voldemort. Everything that's happened, it hasn't happened for nothing, you know." It was Neville that interrupted him.**

"Wow, that was very eloquent. Good job, Neville," Remus commented. "I'm tempted to add ten points to Gryffindor." Lily, James and Sirius chuckled.

******All the shocked faces in their compartment moved from Harry to Neville. Harry thought he took it very well. Ron and Hermione's reactions, once the information set in, were just how he thought they'd be. Ginny and Luna gave Harry a comforting smile, though he could see fear in their faces, even if they tried to hide it.**

******But at least they knew. They knew what he was up against. They knew what they were up against. It would only be a matter of time, but until then, Harry felt reassured that he had good friends at his side.**

"I'm really glad he's made such good friends," Lily said.

"Still, he's got to be careful. Not everyone is as trustworthy as we'd like to believe," Sirius said gravely.

"I want to read more, I want to know what happens to my boy...and how he kills Voldemort forever," James said. "Moony, what did you think?"

"I think...that it's going to be very hard living these next years, acting in ways that we know will bring misfortune," he began, "but I don't regret reading this. Or the books we've read...or the books we will read. I think in the end...thinking of Harry, it'll make things easier to bear. Especially when they no longer come as that tragic surprise they were planned for."

**END**


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